REVIEW | 42nd Street, Curve Leicester
Photo: Johan Persson★ ★ ★ ★
Reviewer - Samantha
Little Miss Allentown, a young and beautiful woman looking for hope, arrives fresh off the bus with a suitcase – her name is Peggy Sawyer and is played by Nicole-Lily Baisden. Peggy arrives in New York dreaming of her name being up there in the big city lights. She quickly catches the eye of a big-time director, Julian Marsh, played by Adam Garcia and lands a spot in the chorus line of Broadway’s newest and upcoming show. When the leading lady, Dorothy Brock (Ruthie Henshall) gets injured and is wheelchair bound for several weeks, Peggy gets her shot at being centre stage.
I have wanted to see this musical for a number of years but have never got round to booking it until I saw it advertised at The Curve. I went to see this solo, and I was mesmerised by the dancing, lights, and costumes but I had no one to talk to about it at the time, so I’m glad I’ve been given the opportunity to write about it now.
Firstly, wow. The set design and costumes were nothing like I’ve ever seen before. The entire set lit up the theatre and Olivier Award winners Bill Deamer and Rob Jones’ made the most of the stage with their design, it was full of to the brim with life. Aligned perfectly with Ben Cracknell who demonstrates once again why he is one of the hottest in the business when it comes to lighting design. And now onto the costumes, I can’t even find the words to describe them. During the actual performance of Pretty Lady, the costumes they were wearing were stunning. Their attention to detail was utterly gorgeous.
Although 42nd Street hasn’t really been a show people talk to me about, thus I went in not really knowing too much about it, I think it should be discussed when talking about musicals because I think it’s great. It’s mostly known for its impeccable choreography and songs such as, ‘We’re in the Money’ and ‘I Only Have Eyes for You’. It’s not one I’ve really come across in musical playlists before (i.e., on Spotify), but I think the show deserves more credit than it gets. It really does get your feet tapping and your head bobbing away to the music.
As you may know, the cast of 42nd Street at The Curve is made up of some very familiar faces – Les Dennis, Ruthie Henshall, Adam Garcia and Michael Praed. Personally, I did worry that the high-status of these individuals would outshine the remaining cast, especially if they are only known for smaller shows, but I don’t think they took anything away from anyone. It felt very equal, and I liked that. The show wasn’t cast on status, it was cast on who fit the character and I think that showed. For example, Bert Barry (Les Dennis) is a comedic character and Les suits that role because of his background, he didn’t have to go overboard to portray his character, it came across as natural.
With the show being based in America, all the cast nailed their American accents and kept them up throughout the whole of the show. I know that’s a challenge in itself because accents do not always come natural to people and it is so easy to break out of character. I know it is their job to do that, just like we have our day jobs but it’s mightily impressive to portray a character from another country.
I must give a special mention to the male ensemble. Their vocals and overall performance had me smiling throughout. There was a particular scene/song with Billy Lawlor (Sam Lips) as the vocal lead and the male ensemble supporting – it was during their performance in Pretty Lady whilst wearing blue suits and it was flawless. I wish I could name the song so you know to look out for it, but I will not forget the performance as I’ve thought about it a few times since seeing the show. The harmonies were sensational and all of their talent both vocally and physically blew me away. I have no idea how people can tap dance and remember all the choreography, whilst still having to deliver their lines when singing and/or acting. It is quite the skill and one I admire.
If you love tap dancing, or dancing in general, then I think this is the show for you. I’d recommend that you and your friends go and see this show before it leaves Leicester. You can buy tickets for 42nd Street at The Curve until 3 June 2023 before heading to Sadler’s Wells. The remaining dates have limited availability, so book today!
